How to create a struct arrary in the app designer.

I am creating a GUI in the app designer, and i have several list box and push button, they are all running based of call backs.

My questions are;

How do you save the inputs from the list boxes and push buttons.

How do create an array that save the information of each user without replacing the previous one

How do you link all the apps so that the infomration from each app is saved in the array

[Jan]

"How do you save the inputs" - saving to a file or to restore the values for the next run?

To create an array, append the new data instead of overwriting them:

S = struct();
for k = 1:5
    S(k).value = k;
end

What does "link all the apps" mean?

[Nwasinachi]

i have attached a copy of one of my GUIs,

The inputs i am referring to are from a list box or radio button.

I am struggling with getting those inputs saved, so each time a user interacts with app their answers are saved in a struct array.

The app designer you have to create different apps, these are linked to each other, the problem is when you package the apps only the first one is included in the package rather than the others that are also connected with the call backs.

[Nwasinachi]

S = struct();

for k = 1:5

S(k).value = k;

end

Also for this code. is k=1:5 refering to the number of trials? or number of users? the app will be ran everytime there is a new user.

[Jan]

"each time a user interacts with app their answers are saved in a struct array" - for which purpose? The data are stored in the GUI already. Is there a benefit to stored them in a struct in addition?

"is k=1:5 refering to the number of trials? or number of users?" - What is a trial? What is a user? You asked for the creation of a struct array and I've posted an example code to create one. I do not know the project you are working in.

Maybe you are using a non-standard definition of "apps".

[Nwasinachi]

"i am creating a program in matlab, i am using app designer. there are questions asked in this program and the user has to click either a push button or a list box.

I have created all the interfaces for the user and connected them using call backs in the app designer.

the problems is i cannot figure out how to assign values to list box or radio button, so that i am able to view their selections.

The purpose is to be able to analyze the input for ach user." Just a quick view of what my project is about.

" a non standard definition of apps". i am using the app designer in matlab. my files are save m.lapp. is this a better way to explain it?

sorry i am pretty new user and i am still adapting to the syntax of matlab and computer programming in general.

[Jan]

Your questions are welcome and the purpose of my questions for clarifications is to find a solution for your problem. The terminology is as essential as complicated and misunbderstandings are a typical part of finding a solution.

Are you working with a set of different GUIs? Then "apps" might be the correct term.

"how to assign values to list box or radio button" - Actually the values are set by clicking on the controls.

[Nwasinachi]

Thank you so much.

Yes i am working with different sets of GUIs, which are all connected using a call back function. i think its impossible to merge all of these different GUIs into one so i willl just create a folder and upload all of them the in there and run all of them at the same time. instead of just running one and having the others appear.

I have assigned the values, i just cant figure out how to record the response(what values they have selected).

[Jan]

Maybe it is easier to combine the set of GUIs into one GUI with different tabs.

It is not clear, what "record responses" mean. If you click on a GUI element, its value changes automatically. So afterwards you can request the property "Value".

Until now you have explained the purpose of the code by text only. Then an explicit suggestion for a modification of the code is not possible. Answering would be much easier, if you post the relevant part of the code.

[Nwasinachi]

"Maybe it is easier to combine the set of GUIs into one GUI with different tabs". How can this be achieved? i have tried including the 2nd GUI into the input argument and that didnt seem to work.

I guess what i want is to be able to have the property value for each GUI update into a matrix i will create.

i have included the code.

classdef Age < matlab.apps.AppBase

    % Properties that correspond to app components
    properties (Access = public)
        UIFigure       matlab.ui.Figure
        ListBox        matlab.ui.control.ListBox
        ListBoxLabel   matlab.ui.control.Label
        NEXTButton     matlab.ui.control.Button
        TextArea       matlab.ui.control.TextArea
        TextAreaLabel  matlab.ui.control.Label
    end

    

    

    % Callbacks that handle component events
    methods (Access = private)

        % Code that executes after component creation
        function startupFcn(app)
            
        end

        % Value changed function: ListBox
        function ListBoxValueChanged(app, event)
            value = app.ListBox.Value;
            if strcmp(app.ListBox.Value ,'18-28')||strcmp(app.ListBox.Value ,'29-39')||strcmp(app.ListBox.Value,'40-50')||strcmp(app.ListBox.Value,'51-61')...
                    ||strcmp(app.ListBox.Value,'62-72');
              set(app.NEXTButton,'Enable','on');
            end

            
        end

        % Button pushed function: NEXTButton
        function NEXTButtonPushed(app, event)
            Genderpage
            app.UIFigure.Visible = 'off'

        end
    end

    % Component initialization
    methods (Access = private)

        % Create UIFigure and components
        function createComponents(app)

            % Create UIFigure and hide until all components are created
            app.UIFigure = uifigure('Visible', 'off');
            app.UIFigure.Color = [0 0 0];
            app.UIFigure.Position = [100 100 640 480];
            app.UIFigure.Name = 'MATLAB App';
            app.UIFigure.Scrollable = 'on';

            % Create TextAreaLabel
            app.TextAreaLabel = uilabel(app.UIFigure);
            app.TextAreaLabel.HorizontalAlignment = 'right';
            app.TextAreaLabel.FontWeight = 'bold';
            app.TextAreaLabel.Position = [63 444 59 22];
            app.TextAreaLabel.Text = 'Text Area';

            % Create TextArea
            app.TextArea = uitextarea(app.UIFigure);
            app.TextArea.Editable = 'off';
            app.TextArea.FontName = 'Arial';
            app.TextArea.FontSize = 20;
            app.TextArea.FontWeight = 'bold';
            app.TextArea.FontColor = [0.3922 0.8314 0.0745];
            app.TextArea.BackgroundColor = [0 0 0];
            app.TextArea.Position = [1 1 640 480];
            app.TextArea.Value = {'Please choose an age group. You will be unabe to use the next button untill a selection has been made.'; 'This program doesnt allow the user to see the previous page. '; 'So confirm that input is correct.'};

            % Create NEXTButton
            app.NEXTButton = uibutton(app.UIFigure, 'push');
            app.NEXTButton.ButtonPushedFcn = createCallbackFcn(app, @NEXTButtonPushed, true);
            app.NEXTButton.BackgroundColor = [0.3922 0.8314 0.0745];
            app.NEXTButton.FontName = 'Arial';
            app.NEXTButton.FontSize = 16;
            app.NEXTButton.FontWeight = 'bold';
            app.NEXTButton.Enable = 'off';
            app.NEXTButton.Position = [503 25 112 29];
            app.NEXTButton.Text = 'NEXT';

            % Create ListBoxLabel
            app.ListBoxLabel = uilabel(app.UIFigure);
            app.ListBoxLabel.HorizontalAlignment = 'right';
            app.ListBoxLabel.FontSize = 18;
            app.ListBoxLabel.FontWeight = 'bold';
            app.ListBoxLabel.Position = [10 275 75 24];
            app.ListBoxLabel.Text = 'List Box';

            % Create ListBox
            app.ListBox = uilistbox(app.UIFigure);
            app.ListBox.Items = {'18-28', '29-39', '40-50', '51-61', '62-72'};
            app.ListBox.ValueChangedFcn = createCallbackFcn(app, @ListBoxValueChanged, true);
            app.ListBox.FontSize = 18;
            app.ListBox.FontWeight = 'bold';
            app.ListBox.FontColor = [0.3922 0.8314 0.0745];
            app.ListBox.BackgroundColor = [0 0 0];
            app.ListBox.Position = [36 148 510 153];
            app.ListBox.Value = '18-28';

            % Show the figure after all components are created
            app.UIFigure.Visible = 'on';
        end
    end

    % App creation and deletion
    methods (Access = public)

        % Construct app
        function app = Age

            % Create UIFigure and components
            createComponents(app)

            % Register the app with App Designer
            registerApp(app, app.UIFigure)

            % Execute the startup function
            runStartupFcn(app, @startupFcn)

            if nargout == 0
                clear app
            end
        end

        % Code that executes before app deletion
        function delete(app)

            % Delete UIFigure when app is deleted
            delete(app.UIFigure)
        end
    end
end

Answer 1

[Vijay]

Hi @Nwasinachi

You can use a ‘TabGroup’ and reposition the ‘TabGroup’ such that the tab menu bar is out of visual boundary. Like in the following image:

Note: I have not completely hidden the TabGroup just to show you the idea.

If your app is resizable then you must dynamically adjust the position of TabGroup in resize callback of window.

If it is a fixed resolution, then you can fix everything to achieve the above shown layout.

You can use the callback of ‘Next’ and ‘Back’ to switch between tabs.

Hope this helps!

[Nwasinachi]

Awesome this helped alot, but the problems seems to be that i am unable to use more than one call back function for the push buttons.

app.TabGroup.SelectedTab = app.AgeTab this seems to be the one working, the one for Gender dosent work at all.

 % Callbacks that handle component events
    methods (Access = private)

        % Callback function: NEXTButton, NEXTButton_4, WelcomeTab
        function ButtonPushed(app, event)
           app.TabGroup.SelectedTab = app.GenderTab
            app.TabGroup.SelectedTab = app.AgeTab
           
        end

        % Value changed function: ListBox, ListBox_3, ListBox_4
        function ListBoxValueChanged(app, event)
            value = app.ListBox.Value;
            if strcmp(app.ListBox.Value ,'18-28')||strcmp(app.ListBox.Value ,'29-39')||strcmp(app.ListBox.Value,'40-50')||strcmp(app.ListBox.Value,'51-61')...
                    ||strcmp(app.ListBox.Value,'62-72');
              set(app.NEXTButton,'Enable','on');
            end
             value = app.ListBox.Value;
            if strcmp(app.ListBox.Value,'Female')|| strcmp(app.ListBox.Value,'Male')||strcmp(app.ListBox.Value,'Intersex')||strcmp(app.ListBox.Value,'Non-conforming')...
                    ||strcmp(app.ListBox.Value,'Gender-fluid')||strcmp(app.ListBox.Value,'Genderqueer')||strcmp(app.ListBox.Value,'Transgender');
                set(app.NEXTButton,'Enable','on');
            end % simple loop that allows the push button to stay unable until the person selects an option.
            value = app.ListBox.Value;
            if strcmp(app.ListBox.Value ,'One')|| strcmp(app.ListBox.Value ,'Two')|| strcmp(app.ListBox.Value ,'Three')...
                            || strcmp(app.ListBox.Value ,'Four')|| strcmp(app.ListBox.Value ,'Polygot');
                                set(app.NEXTButton,'Enable','on');
                            end